1. Field
This present disclosure relates generally to circuit breakers and, more particularly, to circuit breakers with plug in neutral connections.
2. Description of the Related Art
Changing National Electrical Code (NEC) requirements are increasing the number of arc fault breakers required in every residential installation. For each breaker added, the labor required to connect neutral lines is doubled. Additionally, the additional short length of wire between the back of breaker and the neutral bar can create an untidy installation.
Currently, breakers are mounted in a load center by hooking the back of breaker on a support rail and plugging the front of breaker onto a hot bus stab. This system was sufficient in the past, since the vast majority of residential circuit breakers had no need to monitor the neutral current. Only ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) breakers required neutral current be routed back through the breaker for analysis. Since the number of GFCI breakers is low, typically only one or two per panel, a neutral conductor out of the back of breaker and secured to the traditional neutral bar is acceptable.
In recent years, the addition of arc fault circuit interrupter breakers (AFCI) to residential NEC has created additional need for neutrals to go back through the breakers. Future codes will expand on this trend, and it is expected that all circuits may eventually have breakers that require neutral to be monitored.
Current methods of making neutral connections in breakers are cumbersome and time consuming. Additionally, the current methods of making neutral connections are bulky and difficult to organize.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for making neutral connections in circuit breakers that will overcome, alleviate, and/or mitigate one or more of the aforementioned and other deleterious effects of prior art circuit breakers.